Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Introduction

Irritable bowel syndrome is a chronic gastrointestinal disorder whose signs and symptoms include abdominal pain, cramping, bloating, gas, and constipation accompanied by diarrhea, and changed habits of the bowel without any visible organic illness. Interest in the impacts of irritable bowel syndrome has been on the rise in recent years. This rise in interest is because the disorder has seen an increase in prevalence to 30% in the community, with a pooled global average prevalence of 11.2%. In the latest Rome IV criteria, irritable bowel syndrome appears to affect 5-12% of the world’s population (Zhang et al., 2019). The disorder develops more frequently among women as compared to the male population. Its diagnosis is most common in individuals of the age bracket of between 30 and 50 years.

In summary, therefore, irritable bowel syndrome, IBS, is a disorder that impacts the large intestine. Only a small segment of the affected population has severe signs and symptoms. Some individuals can take control of their symptoms by managing their dietary intake, stress, and lifestyle. Treatment of more severe symptoms can be through proper medication and therapy. It should be noted that IBS does not increase your risk of colorectal cancer.

Diagnosis according to the Rome II criteria shows the absence of alarming symptoms such as pain and diarrhea that leads to loss of weight, fever, sleeplessness as well as physical signs that are not related to irritable bowel syndrome (Zhang et al., 2019). The discussion below provides an analysis of irritable bowel syndrome based on evidence. Irritable bowel syndrome comes with a significant burden to the patient, their family, their social life, their careers as well as their future. Therefore, this research paper mainly focuses on the effects of irritable bowel syndrome on the individual, family, and society at large. Also, this research paper addresses the impact of irritable bowel syndrome on the future of the individual, as well as the interesting facts about the discussed disorder.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome with Diarrhea (IBS-D)

IBS-D is the most common type of IBS; therefore, it is included in this paper. One of the surprising facts about irritable bowel syndrome is that it is responsible for 1.8 million consultations every year in the primary healthcare system of England and new Wales alone (Gunn et al., 2019). Among this population, well above 30% are patients with IBS-D.

Irritable bowel syndrome is mostly accompanied by diarrhea; in this case, professionals refer to it as IBS-D. This kind of irritable bowel syndrome affects less than 4% of the world’s homogenous population. Symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea include frequent loose and watery stool that comes with urgency; hence, it results in a reduced quality of life and loss of productivity at work. Studies show that patients rank symptoms in order of importance; erratic bowel habit hs the highest ratings; next comes abdominal pain, and last but not least is constipation (Gunn et al., 2019). These symptoms can be associated with incontinence, which is publicly devastating; however, patients do not report it at the relevance frequency.

Clinical Investigation of IBS-D

Recurrent discomfort of the upper abdomen may be the cause of almost half of the applications to the Internal Medicine Polyclinics. Other possible causes include gastroesophageal reflux disease, duodenal ulcers, which are also known as gastric ulcers, esophagitis, erosive gastritis or duodenitis, chronic pancreatitis, and malignancies. However, irritable bowel syndrome and chronic gastritis are the leading disorders to be diagnosed among all of the above mentioned. Patients with irritable bowel syndrome often report flatulence, periodic diarrhea and or constipation, repeated visits to the toilets due to early filling sensation or urgent evacuation, feeling incomplete removal, straining excessively, frequent and urgent toilet visits, reduced feeling of being well, and ultimately a disturbing social life (Gunn et al., 2019). According to the reviewed literature, between 10 and 20% of the general population suffers from irritable bowel syndrome, and its prevalence is relatively higher among women than me; the reason is yet to be established. Many patients with IBS accuse some food items of being the cause for the early symptoms; however, the role of food intake is doubtful for both irritable bowel syndrome and chronic gastritis.

Effects of IBS on the Individual

Many studies have concluded that irritable bowel syndrome has considerable effects on the individual. Among the effects that studies document is decreased quality of life. Other effects include increased economic burden through the increased economic costs associated with irritable bowel syndrome, and increased rates of mental comorbidities.

The effects of irritable bowel syndrome on the daily functioning of an individual have been especially clarified in workplace absenteeism and lost productivity at work. On average, patients of irritable bowel syndrome were reported missing at work or school 13.4 days every year compared to 4.9 days for individuals without irritable bowel syndrome, according to a survey study. Recently,

a survey was released in which respondents reported that 24% of them missed work because of irritable bowel syndrome symptoms. In comparison, 87% experienced reduced productivity by 14 hours in a week of 40 working hours.

In other spheres of social life, irritable bowel syndrome also affects the individual where patients living in tertiary care facilities tend to avoid activities such as exercise, household chores, work, socializing, traveling, eating, leisure, work, and sexual relations. A recent online research survey on individuals meeting the Rome III criteria reported that over half of the sample described impairment in each section of daily everyday life, with a higher degree of impairment highlighted by individuals meeting criteria of depression or anxiety disorders, which are also effects of IBS. On the other hand, studies in the United States and Europe suggest that some individuals started eating outside their homes, traveling to new places, and going out with friends once they noticed signs and symptoms of IBS. However, these studies prove that there are further subdivisions of IBS despite them not distinguishing the particular subtypes.

Impacts of IBS on Family

                      While living with irritable bowel syndrome can make an individual feel isolated, it is also reflected a family disease. IBS does not affect the life of the individual with irritable bowel syndrome, but also their family. IBS does not come with a warning or a manual. The nature of its symptoms adds a burden for both the patient and their family. In a case where the patient is under his or her family’s care, the financial burden of taking care of the individual often falls on the parents. Also, just as much as IBS affects the psychological health of the patient, IBS affects the mental health of those around them.

On the other hand, it can be helpful for the patient to have support from the family. Since one of the effects of IBS on an individual is stress, the patient needs to have healthy relationships with family to reduce the chance of being stressed out by family members, or stressing out family members as a patient with IBS. Studies report that a supportive and understanding family reduces the severity of symptoms. Naturally, a patient with less severe symptoms is less likely to cause distress and anxiety to their family, which could gain them more support and a more reliable connection.

Studies indicate that patients with irritable bowel syndrome reported a family history of irritable bowel syndrome. The underlying question in this case, therefore, would be whether environmental factors cause the clustering of irritable bowel syndrome in families or whether it’s genetic. Parallel research studies of irritable bowel syndrome and abdominal symptoms showed that both genes and risk factors related to the environment contribute to irritable bowel syndrome. Studies to identify the gene that causes the disorder are yet to establish the disease-causing gene. This fact, therefore, lays the effect of irritable bowel syndrome on the family in that a patient with IBS is likely to have children with IBS.

Effects of IBS on the Society

Irritable bowel syndrome has significant effects on people’s lives and society at large. People living with IBS often feel depressed, self-conscious, embarrassed, and they report the inability to predict symptoms, which places a burden on society (Allergan, 2018:6). The disorder has adverse effects on social relationships restricting participation in regular social activities.

Most IBS patients believe that they are not taken seriously in society, and the diagnosis of IBS leaves them feeling stigmatized. Some patients of irritable bowel syndrome can be discouraged from seeking medical attention due to the fear that the HCP might not hear them, and lack of moral support from family and friends who are the smallest units of the society contribute to their feelings of being isolated.

It can take an average of four years for a patient with IBS to receive a comprehensive diagnosis. Over this frustrating period of waiting for a definitive diagnosis, the patient seeks advice from a variety of sources such as social media and newspaper articles. However, even after they receive their diagnosis, they struggle even more to get effective treatment and the needed support.

Rome Working Group and World Gastroenterology and other national gastroenterology developed guidelines for the management of IBS, which provide universal standard care of IBS patience. Still, they are not rooted in daily clinical practice (Allergan, 2018:6). However, there are no simple guidelines of management in support of a personalized approach to treatment. There is also no standardized route that contributes to varying medical care in terms of controlling symptoms.

Society, in general, experiences difficulties in communication and does not give time to ask questions about IBS. One of the best practices of managing IBS and increasing clinical outcomes is the relationship between a patient and a physician.

Facts about IBS

IBS is the most common disorder diagnosed b gastroenterologists and is one of the most frequently observed conditions by primary care physicians. Below are facts about irritable bowel syndrome.

• As of November 2016, IBS had affected over 45 million people in the U.S., where 2 in every three patients were female, and 1 in 3 was male. Irritable bowel syndrome affects people of different ages and genders.
• Globally, it is estimated that IBS affects 10-15% of the population.
• The global prevalence of IBS is at 11%. However, it is underdiagnosed.
• Despite the multidimensional suffering in terms of age, most IBS patients are under the age of 50.
• The specific cause of irritable bowel syndrome is unknown. Symptoms can, therefore, be a result of a disturbance in the interaction of the gut, brain, and nervous system. This disturbance can cause alterations in the normal movement of the bowel and sensation.
• Stress is not a cause of IBS, although it can worsen or trigger symptoms due to the connection of the brain and the gut.
• Rome IV criteria recognize subtypes of IBS based on the predominant bowel habit of the patient as; IBS-C, which is predominant constipation; IBS-C, which is predominant diarrhea; and IBS-M where both diarrhea and constipation are predominant.
• For IBS-D, the most reported signs and symptoms are; abdominal pain and discomfort, urgency and diarrhea, and abdominal bloating.
• For IBS-C, the most reported symptoms are; bloating and constipation; and abdominal pain.
• Medical professionals can only diagnose IBS.

Conclusion

In the final analysis, therefore, medical professionals should use explanatory models to help them articulate the underlying mechanisms, the signs, and symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome and subsequent treatment approach understandably to society. Also, patients, medical professional bodies, and organizations should share material on IBS to help individuals capture and explain their IBS experiences with physicians. There is a need for simple guidance for the management of IBS. The formulation is the responsibility of professional organizations, and medical professional bodies to develop and supply information based on evidence for the people with irritable bowel syndrome so that they can make informed decisions concerning their treatment of IBS.

                                                                     References

Allergan. (2018). IBS Global Impact Report: 2018. Retrieved 12 March 2020, from https://badgut.org/wp-content/uploads/IBS-Global-Impact-Report.pdf

Gunn, D., Fried, R., Lalani, R., Farrin, A., Holloway, I., & Morris, T. et al. (2019). Treatment of irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea using titrated ondansetron (TRITON): study protocol for a randomized controlled trial. Trials, 20(1). doi: 10.1186/s13063-019-3562-6

Helvaci, M., tonyali, o., yaprak, m., algin, m., abyad, a., & pocock, l. (2019). Irritable bowel syndrome, chronic gastritis, smoking, depression, hemorrhoids, and urolithiasis. Original Contribution/ Clinical Investigation, 13(2), 29-34. doi: 10.5742MEJN.2019.93637

Zhang, J., Ma, H., Zhu, J., Lu, C., Yu, C., & Li, Y. (2019). The Role of Dietary Energy and Macronutrients Intake in Prevalence of Irritable Bowel Syndromes. Biomed Research International, 2019, 1-9. doi: 10.1155/2019/8967306